Solar Power Product Detail FAQ's
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Table of ContentsGeneral enquiries
Technical and Installation
Administrative
Planning Approval and Heritage Overlay
Other Questions
General enquiriesWith the old rebate finishing am I still able eligible for assistance from the Federal Government to install a Solar PV System?From June 10th 2009, the Federal Government will assist with the upfront cost of installing a Solar PV System by offering Renewable Energy Credits The Solar Credits multiplier applied to the first 1.5kw of capacity installed will offer up to $9,000 in savings depending on the size and location of installation and apply to new installations of small-scale renewable energy generators eligible under the scheme. Energy generated from systems with capacity above 1.5 kW will still be eligible for the standard 1:1 rate of RECs creation. The multiplier credits will only apply to the first small-scale generation system installed at an address and is no longer means tested. Will I still get paid for the electricity that I generate and don’t use?Yes, your energy retailer will pay you feed in tariffs, depending on your state of residence, which you should confirm with the regulatory authority in your state.
Technical and InstallationHow long does installation take?In most cases, the installation of a regular 1-2 kW system will only take a day. Who is the supplier and installer?Nu Energy is supplying and installing the solar PV systems. Nu Energy is an experienced installer and has been in operation since 1985! Today Nu Energy is working to become Australia’s leading residential PV installer. Only BCSE accredited installation personnel are employed, in line with the rebate approval conditions. Where sub contractors are used in installations, they are BCSE accredited. What sort are the panels?We are using 6 x 170-Watt mono-crystalline CEEG solar panels. Mono-crystalline panels are made from pure silicon and are slightly more expensive than poly-crystalline. The advantage of mono-crystalline panels is that they have proven stable performance for long periods. What is the lifetime of the panels?CEEG panels have a 25 year warranty for 80% of warranted min. power. What is the lifetime of the inverter?We use SMA Sunny boy inverters with this system, providing a SMA factory warranty valid for 5 years. Inverters are expected to last for about 10 years. Is it possible to upgrade/expand panels and/or inverter?Yes, it is possible to expand your system at any stage adding by adding more PV panels and a larger capacity inverter. However, if you are willing to expand your system in the future, we strongly recommend that you to invest in a bigger inverter allowing you a reserve of capacity to be able to expand your array whenever you are ready do to so. This process is quite common and is called a staged installation. Will my PV system account for all my household electricity consumption?It really depends on the size of the system. As a rule of thumb, an average household consumes 16 kWh (kilo Watt hours) per day, which is equivalent to the power produced by a 5kW solar system. Here is an equation of the average daily energy production: On average a 1KW system produces 3.38 kWh of electricity per day in Melbourne. Will the technology be outdated soon?All technologies get superseded. However, our solar systems have been designed to last for more than 25 years with only one one-off capital investment. Even though new technologies are being developed, you will still benefit from the top performance of the system you purchased in accordance with your needs. What if I have a flat or low pitched roof?For those roofs with a flat or very-low-pitched roof (below 10 degrees), we will have a frame installed to elevate the panels to approximately 30 degrees pitch. See additional costs listed above. The extra expense is offset by the improved performance of the system. Will my solar PV panels provide me with electricity during a black out?No. Regulations stipulate that all grid-connected inverters must be shut down simultaneously when the grid is broken down. This is an electrical safety regulation for electricians to avoid electrical hazard during trouble-shooting. What if my roof is not facing north?The roof doesn’t need to be facing exactly due north, but this may affect the performance of the system At 45 degrees off north, the loss of performance is a very reasonable 8%. Even at 90 degrees, i.e. an east-west roof, the loss of performance is only approximately 25%. How big is the inverter?The size of a regular inverter is 434/295/214 (W/H/D) in mm. Mounting location is usually outdoors; hung on the wall. My meter is near my front door. Do I have to have the inverter near my meter?Ideally the inverter goes near the switchboard and/or meter. This incurs the minimum cost. However, with the heritage overlay considerations in some council areas, inverters probably cannot be visible from the street. This means inverters may have to be moved from the ideal location possibly incurring an extra fee. An idea of extra cost to move the inverter would be $200 - $250 but this would depend on the particular circumstances and is determined at the site visit. What system warranties are being offered?One year warranty on labour and installation is offered and 5 years on the Sunnyboy inverter. PV panels 80% power performance warranty at 25 years. See the terms and conditions for the terms of the warranties. What is solar PV?PV (Photovoltaic) solar panels generate electricity directly from sunlight. Direct current (DC) is produced when sunlight hits the surface of the panel. The inverter converts the DC to alternating current (AC) to cater for household’s power consumption. What happens when I’m not generating as much electricity as I am using?At these times, you will be importing (buying) electricity from the grid. What happens to the excess electricity that I produce during the day?The excess electricity will be automatically fed back to the grid, it is not stored. The bi-directional smart meter will record the electricity being fed back into the grid as well as the electricity being imported from the grid.
AdministrativeWhat are Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs)?A Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) is an electronic, tradable commodity equal to 1 Megawatt hour of renewable energy generation. A REC is similar to a share certificate as it represents a unit of value and may be traded for financial return. Also like a share certificate, the value of a REC can move up and down. The operation of RECs is coordinated by the Office of Renewable Energy Regulator and is governed by the Renewable Energy (Electricity) Act 2000 and the Renewable Energy (Electricity) Regulations 2001. When you have a solar power system installed by Nu Energy that solar power system will attract a certain number of RECs. However, only a person who is registered with the Renewable Energy Regulator can actually receive RECs, so in order to receive the RECs from the installation of your solar power system you need to apply to be registered. Instead, you can assign those RECs to Nu Energy, and we can receive them from you because we are already registered. Must I get a new meter?That depends, every Solar System installed will need a meter that accommodates the import AND export of electricity. What sort of meter is being installed?A digital bi-directional interval meter will be installed, which will be capable of taking advantage of future Feed-in Tariffs. Who do I contact about the smart metering?You must contact your electricity retailer for your smart meter. The cost will depend on what area you live in and which electricity distributor covers that area.
Planning Approval and Heritage OverlayDo I need planning approval? How do I know?If part of your shire or City Council area is covered by heritage overlay then there is a good chance you will need planning approval. Please refer to the Planning and Land Authority of your council or shire. How does it fit in with the solar panel system purchasing process?You should complete any planning approvals before the site visit, and tells us if you need to delay the site visit for this reason.
Other QuestionsAre my panels covered by insurance?Most likely they would be covered by your home insurance policy but you need to inform your insurance company of your solar PV installation and confirm this. What is the maximum kW capacity of the SMA Sunny Boy 1100 inverter?Nominal capacity is 1100 W. Where is the inverter manufactured?The inverter is manufactured in Germany. Is it weather proof and therefore can it be installed externally or will it have to be installed internally?The inverter is weatherproof. It can hang on any external wall where there is no sustained, intense, direct sunlight. If more suitable, the inverters can be installed internally provided there is adequate air ventilation. In what country are the panels manufactured?The panels are manufactured in China to Australian standards. If I believed my panels were performing below this warranted power output what would be the procedure for making a claim?
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